


nobody said it was easy

by Anonymous



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Alec Lightwood Deserves Nice Things, Asmodeus is trying, BAMF Magnus Bane, Canon Compliant, Canon Universe, Canon-Typical Violence, Family Drama, Family Fluff, Fluff, Fluff and Smut, Hurt/Comfort, Light Angst, M/M, Magnus Bane Deserves Nice Things, Magnus Bane Saves the Day, Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood-centric, Mythology - Freeform, Occult, Post-Canon, Religious Imagery & Symbolism, Soft Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood, a LOT of pentagram imagery, alec is thirsty af, and then the higher powers decided: let's not give these bitches a break, kinda prophetic anxiety induced dreaming
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-29
Updated: 2020-04-21
Packaged: 2021-02-28 22:00:06
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 15,430
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23374297
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: Asmodeus is constitutionally incapable of minding his own business.There's trouble brewing for the newlyweds (as is won't) as they begin to settle down into married life in Alicante. The reconfiguration of the Demon Towers has led to some unforeseen complications when it allows in an unwelcome guest. Oh, there's also a sinister Greater Demon on the loose.Will all of Edom break loose on the recovering city, newly desegregated? Or will it fall again?Chapters:1:- aimiro -2:- the demon towers -3:- this life, this world, for you -4:- the gateway, part i -5:- the gateway, part ii -6:- the gateway, part iii -7:- the mark of asmodeus -(NEW UPDATE)8:- negotiation -(NEW UPDATE)[ full disclosure: this is basically how i'd want a couple of episodes post-canon to happen. bold, ik ]
Relationships: Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood
Comments: 30
Kudos: 48
Collections: Anonymous





	1. - aimiro -

**Author's Note:**

> Rated Explicit for depictions of violence, language and sexual content.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rated M for depictions of violence, language and sexual content.

The sound was unbearable.

It was like nothing Alec had heard before. His ears kept ringing with that shrill—blood curdling sound that seemed to come from Jace’s mouth. Alec couldn’t hear anything else. Jace’s pain shot through him like sharp knives slicing through unhealed wounds. He saw everything clearly enough, Jace was waving his seraph blade at the black vortex that had materialized moments ago. But it made no difference, the indefinable silhouette of the thing simply unformed and reformed itself every time Jace’s blade sliced through it.

That’s when Alec saw it, a few metres behind the thing, a gleaming pentagram from which it seemed to originate. Alec reached behind him instinctively and his bow and quiver materialized. The ringing in his ears had reached its crescendo.

Alec strung an arrow to his bow.

Jace had turned towards him now, shaking his head, gesticulating wildly. Mouthing “Don’t” at him, for some reason.

“Alec, no!”

Alec had already started to fire it when he heard Magnus’ voice boom in his ears suddenly, drowning out the ringing. He faltered and shot his arrow aimlessly. He could barely make out Magnus’ form rushing towards him as the blackness engulfed him.

* * *

When Alec came to, Magnus was shouting at him.

“. . . extremely stubborn man!"

They were back in their loft. Alec spotted Jace stirring Magnus’ cauldron from which shimmering blue smoke was rising in long twists.

“Jace? Are you okay?!” He said, ignoring Magnus. Jace looked at him apologetically and continued to stir the potion.

“Of course he’s fine! Aimiro was after you!” Magnus barked.

“But I saw—“

"That's the whole point, Alec, Aimiro is a greater demon that is skilled in manipulating minds. If only you’d just listen to me!"

“We think Asmodeus summoned it” Jace offered helpfully from across the room.

“That’s impossible” Alec said, “Asmodeus is in limbo. Magnus himself banished him.”

“You don’t know what he’s capable of.” Magnus murmured, pacing in front of the large window overlooking their balcony, rapidly flipping through a massive tome.

“Magnus, I’m fine, calm—“

As soon as he tried to sit up, Alec felt white hot pain shoot up from his abdomen, burning hot and cold at the same time. He fell back immediately as Magnus rushed at his side. “Don’t move.”

Alec grunted in pain. “Should’ve led with that.”

“Don’t be smart with me,” Magnus said. “When it’s turned brown, bring it here” He directed Jace, his hands moving rapidly in an elaborate gesture, a few centimeters above Alec’s skin, glowing blue.

Jace appeared with some of the brew ladled into a bowl. Both their faces knit with severe concern as they looked at Alec’s torso. Alec followed their gaze down himself toward it; although he didn’t feel anything except a dull throbbing, he felt himself wince at the sight of the deep gash that cut across him in the middle, the muscle beneath his skin exposed, and two more deep cuts gaping below his diaphragm.

Alec felt the coolness of the potion as Magnus’ steady hand spread it over his wounds. They waited a few moments. Two minutes. Five.

“It’s not working,” Jace stated.

“Just what I was afraid of,” Magnus said.

“What is it?”

“This is Aimiro’s mark. It won’t go until we’ve banished the demon.” Magnus answered, his eyes flaming; “This fight is far from over,” his voice was shot with exhaustion; he turned to Jace, “Get me the Red book.”

Jace nodded, reaching out as Alec passed him his stele for the vault.

* * *

“Magnus?” Alec called when Jace had left them alone.

Magnus remained mutinously quiet, not taking his eyes off the ancient book. His darkly painted nails impatiently tapping on the page he was staring fixedly at. Alec winced in pain, trying to sit up.

“I told you not to move.” Magnus said.

“Then don’t ignore me,” Alec said, “Talk to me.”

“What’s left to say?” Magnus huffed. “I told you very clearly: not to go near those towers. I told you I was handling it.”

“Magnus” Alec felt irate, “there were greater demons entering through the wards.”

“There are other shadowhunters and downworlders to take care of it! You are not required to engage in every battle!”

“I’m the head of the institute, Magnus” Alec tried to keep his voice down.

“Precisely.” Magnus said. “We’ve just had a war, Alicante can’t lose you,” his voice wavered “I can’t lose you.”

Alec sighed. “Come here,” he patted the space beside him.

Magnus slid onto the floor beside the couch. His eyes drifted to Alec’s wounds and Alec craned his neck to kiss Magnus at the juncture below his ear, “You are not going to lose me."

“You keep saying that,” Magnus said softly, pushing away Alec’s errant hair from his forehead, “but then you and your idiot brother go and pull this off.” He breathed against Alec’s lips.

Alec grabbed Magnus’ head and pulled him into an urgent kiss, his tongue swiping at Magnus’ mouth and his hand pressing into his hair.

Magnus pulled away, “don’t try to distract me.” Alec groaned in protest and slid his hand under Magnus’ silk robe, causing it hang open as he splayed his hand on his husband’s solid chest. “Later,” Alec promised, “Kiss me, now.”

“Alexander” Magnus exhaled, grabbing Alec’s hand that was roving his chest.

Alec sighed. "I have told you before. Jace is a part of me, I acted on impulse—because of the rune. I don’t know why you can’t seem to get it.”

"You also have a choice.” Magnus returned, “I told you I was taking care of it." He conjured up a sponge and floated the bowl towards them, dipped the sponge and began gently dabbing at the cuts and wounds.

"I know," Alec said "and I’m sorry, but I couldn’t just sit there and do nothing.”

“You weren’t just sitting there! Your sister and biscuit had no trouble following your orders, why couldn’t you stick to them?”

“Well, they aren’t parabatai yet, are they?!”

“Alec” Magnus grunted, frustrated, “Why couldn’t you just listen to me?" His voice rose, "And look at you, you can’t even heal now! Aimiro is the most elusive greater demon. There’s a reason its name means mind hunter.” He sighed.

"Obviously, I didn't realize that when it pulled at the bond, Magnus!" Alec shot back, "You won't understand."

"Because I am a downworlder?!" Magnus gasped.

"I didn't say that!

"You might as well have.”

“Magnus,” Alec sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I felt like a part of my soul would've been torn out if I hadn’t stepped in."

There was a pause.

"Well, that wasn't so hard to explain now, was it?”

Alec scoffed. “Seriously, Magnus? You really want to do this, right now?”

“I told you not to push me away when things get difficult.” Magnus handed Alec the sponge and pushed the bowl towards him.

“I wasn’t—“

Magnus raised a hand and cut him off. His voice went quiet as he stood up, pulling his robe shut and walking away from Alec, his shoulders drooping. "Now you know how I must’ve felt as well," he said and disappeared into their bedroom, pulling the door shut behind him.

"Fine. I'll just take care of this on my own" Alec called out, mollified. But there was no response.


	2. - the demon towers -

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rated M for depictions of violence, language and sexual content.

Alec inhales the familiar scent of sandalwood. His eyes drift open slowly and Magnus is beside him, his cool fingers gently tracing the scars across his torso. Magnus is still dressed in his robe from last night. His wet, yet undone hair falling across his forehead and eyes. Alec feels his breath still when Magnus catches him staring and grins.

“Hey.”

Sunlight is filtering in through the window and Alec sits up, his neck aching from the bad angle he probably slept in, passed out on the couch. Magnus leans in and kisses him. “The wounds have scarred” he says, his fingers pressing against them, “you’re healing.” Alec doesn’t respond, instead, he pulls Magnus on top of him inhaling his scent, fresh from the shower, and kisses him deeply. Alec’s chest already throbbing with desire.

“Wait,”

Alec doesn’t stop.

“Alexander,”

Alec licks a line down to his husband’s throat.

Magnus pushes him away. “There’s something you need to know.” He pulls open his robe. And that’s when Alec sees it. His blood runs ice-cold in an instant. There, right on the centre of Magnus’ chest, cutting across from his tattooed wedding rune, the mark of Asmodeus. An angry red pentagram inside a circle, etched cruelly on his husband’s soft, unmarked skin.  
  
“No” Alec shouts, pulling onto Magnus’ arm as he begins to stand up, then, everything happens very quickly. The mark starts bleeding and a dark portal opens up behind Magnus, snatching him away.

“NO!”

Alec woke up, gasping for breath, his ears ringing; “Magnus” was his first thought.

“Bad dream?” Magnus said from across him. He was still dressed in his robe from last night, sitting on the floor, at least twenty books and paraphernalia spread around him. Alec felt his rapidly beating heart slow down. He exhaled loudly.

“Something like that. Magnus I—”

They looked at each other for one long moment. Alec sat up slowly, feeling a sharper pain lingering behind the dull throb of what he suspected was one of Magnus’ spells. He looked down to find himself bandaged around the middle. This was getting to be really problematic. He had never taken so much time to heal from demon wounds, not even from those of greater demons. Magnus followed his gaze and opened his mouth to say something, twice, then seemed to decide against it. The moment ended.

Alec sighed. “I have to get to work.”

* * *

Clary was waiting for him at his office when Alec got there.

“How are you?” she asked immediately, nervously looking him up and down, her face full of concern.

Alec would’ve laughed if someone told him, even a month ago, that Clary would become one of his most trusted friends, and then would have booked them an appointment with a therapist, but it wasn’t altogether strange. Clary had gradually proven herself to be an able fighter and notably, having more sense than Jace and Simon combined. Most importantly, Alec respected Clary because of her devotion to Magnus and the way she had risked her entire life as a Shadowhunter to help Alec. Alec would be more grateful than she could ever know, or he could ever tell.

“Eh” he said, casually, plopping himself down in his seat, immediately wincing at the pain. “I’m fine.”

“Right” Clary smiled tightly, shaking her head.

“And Magnus?”

Alec felt a mix of guilt and irritation. “We have more pressing problems.”

Clary rolled her eyes, “I’m just saying . . . “ she began but stopped herself at the look Alec shot her way, “fine," she raised her hands in surrender, "I looked up the archives. There’s no precedent.”

“So—“

Clary nodded gravely. “We’ll have to go on site.”

They made to leave when Jace burst in through the door, “Alia is missing.”

“What?” Alec and Clary exclaimed together.

“And Nadia and Henry,” Jace added. 

“Hold on,” Alec said, brows furrowing, “Nadia and Henry were on duty at the towers.”

“And Alia had her shift right before them,” Clary added, “I know because I texted her for access to the archives and she told me she was sending the key with Izzy.”

“We have to go to the towers.” Alec said, determined.

“I think you should stay right here,” Clary crossed her arms.

“Don’t be absurd!”

“Alec, she’s right.” Jace said, “You’re hurt. And more so because you can’t heal right now.”

“No,” Alec simply shook his head, already slipping his blade into his thigh holster.

“Alec” Clary called, trying to keep up with Alec’s long strides. They were already near the main entrance.

“Alec, stop” Jace caught his arm.

Alec winced in pain when his arm stretched behind him.

“Guys!” said Simon as he burst in through the portal beside them, followed by Raphael.

Simon nodded at Raphael to finish his sentence, breathing heavily.

“We think Asmodeus is in Alicante.”

* * *

Magnus was floating, crossed legged in the drawing room, flipping through his fifth book of the morning when the doorbell went off.

He snapped the book shut and landed gracefully on his feet. “Be right there.”

“Hi,” Isabelle smiled at him, holding up a brown packet. “I brought your favourite cream rolls.” She said, shutting the door behind him and following Magnus to the drawing space and heading to the kitchenette. "Magnus, have you not eaten anything?" she asked, looking at the empty sink. "I'm making you some coffee."

Magnus followed her into the kitchen and sniffed the air for the telltale scent of vanilla. “You’re a dear.” He responded, kissing Isabelle on one cheek.

"Eggs?" She asked. Magnus nodded. “See? You married the wrong Lightwood.”

They both burst out laughing.

“I’ve got the Red Book” Isabelle continued, setting a plate of scrambled eggs and a steaming mug of coffee in front of Magnus. “I think it’s the towers themselves. Raphael and Simon went down to have a look at the basement and they couldn’t get past the wards.”

“Wards?” Magnus spooned some food into his mouth.

“Yeah, something has made a nest or so we think. It’s sentient. Set up wards and all. I’m sure it’s Aimiro . . . or something”

Magnus’ expression soured, “my father.”

“Yes." Isabelle cringed. "But my compass couldn’t detect any demonic energy. Actually, it didn’t detect anything except verifying a massive energy source.”

“That’s not surprising." Magnus said into his mug. "Asmodeus is a master at deception and Aimiro, well, Aimiro is mythologized to have advanced sentience. More so than any greater demon. It’s said to be ancient . . .”

“As old as time itself” Isabelle finished. “But that’s all the information our archives have.”

“True,” Magnus nodded.

“It’s funny because you’d think Shadowhunters would obsessively chronicle a demon that old. And, that too, a real threat to us because of our Nephilim blood and human spirit.”

“Fear not, darling” Magnus smiled at Isabelle, “this is why we have Edom’s Red Book.”

* * *

“Four more of these, pronto.” Alec set his shot glass down with a thud.

“Woah,” Jace said. “Are you sure, buddy?”

“I live with Magnus,” Alec shrugged. “I’m fine.”

“I was referring to the fact that this doesn’t seem like a good coping mechanism to address your father-in-law’s arrival.”

“Fuck you, Jace.” Alec said, "Fuck you."

“You kiss your mother with that mouth?” Jace guffawed.

“I kiss my husband.” Alec smirked, “And I kiss his—“

“NOPE. Stop right there, brother.”

They broke into laughter and sipped on their drinks quietly for a bit.

“I know we’re parabatai, Alec. But you don’t have to save my ass every time. Believe it or not, I can handle myself.”

“I kind of do, though. Alec smiled. ”You’re a massive idiot. “

“Very funny, Alec.” Jace raised his eyebrows, “Says the one who’s drinking away at a bar while his gorgeous husband’s home.”

“Oh no! I’m the idiot.” Alec groaned and hid his face behind his hands. “I know” Alec started, after a pause, “It’s just that, after everything that happened with Lilith and—“

“If you’re worried about me, just ask, man,” Jace said, “We’re not in New York any more. Alicante needs you and Magnus at its helm, now more than ever. You can’t put yourself at risk like this.”

They drowned their fourth shot.

It was late when they left the bar. Alec stopped to check his phone, it was past eleven. No messages or missed calls from Magnus.

“Hey,” Jace started to say when they had just walked into the city square, past one of the towers. “Do you see that–“

Alec didn’t think anything could ever prepare him when that horrible sound began ringing in his ears again. He felt his heart thunder in his throat. The shrill sound was replaced with a terrifying wailing now. Alec felt sick. He saw Jace crumple down on his knees, pressing his hands to his ears. Alec’s eyes zeroed in on the glowing symbol that began to form at the base of the tower. He acted quickly, reaching for his bow, he strung an arrow and fired a quick shot. The wailing stopped abruptly. Alec grit his teeth, moving towards Jace to help him up. Out of the corner of his eyes he saw that the pentagram began glowing once more, brighter this time and the thing grew around his arrow, emerging rapidly. The black vortex rose over three metres, charging at them. Alec strung another arrow and stood his ground. The wailing grew impossibly loud. He breathed in, pulled the string.

A blast of fiery vermilion broke the vortex, cutting its tail from the pentagram. Another blast erased the pentagram, which burnt up in a violent flame before going out. The black vortex shot up in the sky, chased by a beam of blazing magic that emanated from Magnus’ hands. The vortex shattered, bursting like fireworks, its blackness rained down on Magnus, like glass.

“Magnus!” Alec shouted, breaking into a run.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please R&R, they make a world of difference <3  
> Stay safe, stay healthy.


	3. - this life, this world, for you -

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rated M for depictions of violence, language and sexual content.  
> 
> 
> This chapter is basically PWP Smut after the first three-four paragraphs. Because Alec has A LOT of making up to do. The main plot development happens at the very end of the chapter. It's only a few lines. You may skip the lovin' if you're so inclined.
> 
> I honestly believed that I'd be able to push the main plot point through in this chapter, but um,,,,,,,my hands slipped????
> 
> I am nothing but gay and a fool and in love with Magnus, like Alec Lightwood-Bane.

Alec charged towards him, swiping at the shards with his Ichor-coated seraph blade. But Magnus pushed Alec away with his magic, trapping him and Jace in a shield that spread in a translucent blue dome around them. He raised his free arm to create one around himself. Alec’s heart sped with adrenaline and deep concern and pure awe. He had never seen Magnus like that before; Magnus’ blue magic was bursting out, wrapping around his whole form, outlining him in a brilliant light that lifted him off so that he was hovering a few inches above the ground. Open-mouthed, Alec and Jace watched the shards of black turn into wisps of white glittery dust as soon as they came in contact with Magnus’ magic, vaporizing immediately— _it was astoundingly beautiful_.

Magnus lowered his hands slowly, tendrils of the blue of his magic still licking around his hands and wrists. He turned towards them, his eyes flaming amber, when he spoke, his voice was shot with exasperated anger. "You stupid, stupid Nephilim!" 

Jace began to say sorry but Alec dropped his seraph blade, leaving Jace to pick it up as the last of his magic disappeared inside Magnus and he stood there, white dust raining on him. Alec must have been brave to risk this warlock’s wrath because he strode towards Magnus and kissed him roughly, pulling him hard against himself, his heart thundering. Magnus was stunned for the shortest length of a second before he responded in kind, fisting Alec’s t-shirt and biting sharply into his lower lip. Alec moaned into their kiss, his tongue swiped his lips as he pulled away briefly before thrusting his tongue into Magnus’ hot mouth. Alec's hands slipped down to Magnus' arse and he pulled Magnus against himself, already hard.

“Um, guys” Jace said from behind them.

Magnus and Alec ignored him in favour of devouring each other’s mouths. The world around them was rapidly fading away. Without looking at him or breaking away from Alec’s insistent mouth, Magnus conjured a portal and pushed Jace into it. After Jace had disappeared through it, Magnus snapped his fingers to change its configuration and pulled it towards them.

* * *

Alec had already lost his jacket by the time they’d made it to their couch. They were both breathing heavily. Alec threw himself down on the couch and pulled off his pants. He watched as Magnus magicked himself out of his clothes. Amber eyes met with his, the desire in them unmistakable. Magnus was surrounded in his blue aura, entirely naked. The tight muscles of his beautifully sculpted form shifted underneath his caramel skin as he made his way towards Alec. Alec’s breath hitched impossibly. He was achingly hard.

“Come here” Alec said gruffly, wrapping a hand around his erection.

Magnus smirked before he slipped onto Alec’s lap. Alec grabbed his husband’s waist and watched Magnus’ cock stiffen against his belly right before his t-shirt was quickly pulled off of him. Magnus’ eyes came to rest on his heavily bandaged torso, dark red blood marked three large spots on it. He clicked his tongue disapprovingly and raised his hand. His fingers beginning to spark but Alec caught his wrist. He shook his head, “later,” he said, his voice impossibly thick, “I need you right now.”

Magnus bent in and kissed him, careful to avoid putting pressure on Alec’s middle; his hands slipped into Alec’s thick hair and he fisted it, hungrily biting his mouth, chin and continuing to place open-mouthed kisses on along his deflect rune. Alec’s fingers dug into Magnus’ hips, he moaned loudly in Magnus’ ear. “Magnus” Alec gasped, as Magnus mercilessly sunk his teeth into the soft skin between his rune and collarbone. His voice was shot with desperate longing. Alec moved one hand to take both himself and Magnus in his hand, pressing their cocks together, tightly. Both of them groaned at the heady contact. Magnus brushed his lips across Alec’s jaw and nibbled at Alec’s lower lip, Alec inhaled sharply, moving his hand slowly around their lengths. “Fuck me” Magnus said in his ear and then bit his earlobe, his breath humid. He pulled away to look at Alec’s eyes blown wide, dark with lust. His knuckles grazed his husband’s cheek and Magnus leaned in to press a soft kiss where he had just touched. “Right now.”

Magnus reached out behind himself and placed his hands on Alec’s knees and lifted himself off while Alec slicked his cock with precum and angled himself at Magnus’ entrance. Magnus threw his head back and bit into his own lip, lowering himself hard onto Alec. He heard Alec grunt loudly and his own breathing accelerated. Alec’s arm slid around the small of his waist as Magnus began moving against the delicious fullness, his body gripping Alec’s thick length inside him, using the strength of his thighs. Alec’s free hand wrapped around his cock and began working him, slow and _sweet_.

“Harder” Magnus demanded, biting along the line cutting across Alec’s deflect rune, his hands came to rest on the muscles of Alec’s shoulders, squeezing down.

“ _So_ eager” Alec said breathlessly and Magnus immediately put a hand on his mouth. “This doesn’t change anything,” he ground down onto Alec’s lap and felt delighted at the way Alec’s eyes widened further while he considered him, “I’m still mad at you.”

But Alec thrust hard into him, shutting Magnus up and making him gasp aloud, they both fell into a quick rhythm. Their foreheads sliding against each other’s. Drenched with sweat. In this moment, they were just two bodies, lost in their mutual pleasure and desire for one another. Wanting, aching, needing—

Magnus finished first with a gasp, feeling the tight, twisting coil of pleasure spiral through his hips, and along his spine, his body arching towards Alec. His eyes flew open as Alec’s fingers tugged at his cock. Alec watched him, his skin damp with sweat and his eyes wide and _so_ bright.

Magnus’ hand dug into Alec’s shoulder, his body trembling with each thrust of Alec’s cock inside him, Magnus lifted himself up and down, resting his head against Alec’s, inhaling the musk of their coupling mixed with sweat and Alec’s own scent. And when it was just _that much_ , Alec bit into Magnus’ palm, still covering his mouth and came inside him with a muffled cry.

* * *

It’s still dark out when Magnus is woken up feeling Alec’s hot mouth around his cock. Their moonlight drenched bedroom swims into his view, it's surprisingly bright.

“Alec,” Magnus says breathily, reaching down to grasp at his husband’s hair.

“I couldn’t sleep,” Alec explains from between his legs, pulling away with a pop.

“No,” he groans, “continue.” He pulls Alec’s head down around him. Alec lifts Magnus’ legs over his shoulders, his hands wrapping around his thighs as he takes Magnus deep into his mouth, the head of his cock hitting the back of Alec’s throat. Magnus feels his back arch upwards, pleasure coiling tight in his hips, where Alec’s hands are also digging in.

Magnus spares a glance at Alec, the sight of him stretched between his spread thighs, his ridiculously full lips stretched around his cock, large hands on his hips, now roaming up to his chest, caressing his nipples, and then sliding down to his thighs, holding him still as his mouth slid down deeper, undoes Magnus.

“Ah, A-Alec” he moans, involuntarily thrusting hard into Alec’s throat. His mind is an incoherent mess. Alec looks up at him from his position, through those long lashes of his, his eyes full of dark mirth and _sinful_. There was some irony to be found, associating this Nephilim with Sin. But Magnus was too far gone to finish that thought.

“I’m going to—“ he could barely breathe. But Alec showed no signs of stopping and hummed around his cock.

Magnus is beyond every shred of self-control when his body jerks up to meet the thrusts of Alec’s mouth as he increases his pace, intertwining his fingers with Magnus’ free hand. Nothing in this world could be more erotic. More exciting for Magnus than this right now. The world could end right now and he wouldn’t budge. Wouldn’t be able to, not when he was completely hypnotized by Alec’s gaze.

Magnus shut his eyes, bit his lips and came hard, spurting uncontrollably into Alec’s mouth. His eyes flew open and watched Alec swallow, the muscles of his long, pale neck moving languidly. Magnus felt deliciously boneless from his orgasm, he couldn’t help himself as the intense rush of blood split his lips into a wide smile.

When Alec pulled away and slid up beside him, Magnus turned and rested his arm over his chest, quietly tracing his wedding rune. Alec slid an arm beneath Magnus and pulled him nearer.

“I’m sorry.” Alec started, “I’m so sorry. I should’ve listened to you, Magnus. I just, I wasn’t thinking.”

Magnus chuckled softly, looking into Alec’s hazel eyes. Alec searched his face. “I know” he said.

“I—I love you.” Alec’s voice dropped, “So much. I—”

Magnus placed a finger on his lips. And then a soft kiss. Then he returned his attention to Alec’s bandages. His hand hovered over them, moving in gentle waves as wisps of his blue magic set Alec’s middle aglow in the moonlight filtering through their curtains. “Alec, you need to rest.”

A pause.

“And I haven’t been entirely reasonable either.” Magnus said after a while, when Alec’s wounds were freshly dressed. “You’re right, I may never understand—“

“No. You don’t owe me any explanation.” Alec said into his hair. He pressed a kiss to Magnus’ forehead. “I almost thought I lost you.” His voice trembled.

Magnus sat up on his elbow and looked at him, Alec’s eyes were glinting with unshed tears. “You will never lose me.” Magnus said emphatically. “I love you.”

Alec smiled widely and pulled Magnus’ face down towards him and kissed him and kissed him—

_Boom!_

The sound was very loud and very dull, followed by a series of rapid clattering, signalling that a large object was involved.

Magnus and Alec looked at each other, feeling the earth tremble beneath them. Magnus had shot out of bed, looking out of the window. Alec followed suit.

They looked out at the cool moonlit night draped over Alicante like a dark, velvet blue cloak. Everything was in place except—

“The east tower” Alec said, exchanging a look of concern with Magnus. “It’s gone.”

Almost immediately, a loud series of rapid knocks sounded on their door.

“Izzy” both said at the same time, a shared look of alarm taking over their features, mirroring one another’s.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please R&R, they make a world of difference <3  
> Stay safe, stay healthy.


	4. - the gateway, part i –

It was strange.

Alicante was nothing like he’d imagined it would be. For one, there were too many children of Edom roaming freely in its streets, intermingling with the Nephilim. He wondered if it was just another one of his deliriums. The centre of Nephilim existence didn’t seem anything like the way it had been described in the tales. In fact, a lot of infrastructure seemed to be crumbling, overrun with a population larger than it was built for. One of its fabled demon towers seemed to be missing. Asmodeus would've liked to look around a little more but his head throbbed uncontrollably. His throat felt parched, drier than Edom’s deserts. And that’s how Asmodeus knew that he was inhabiting a tangible reality.

He soon found himself in a pub. He hankered for a meal but he wasn’t sure if his stomach could take it after having remained dormant for so long, after all, he wasn’t invincible and limbo wasn’t somewhere anyone came back from.

“What’s your poison?” The bartender asked.

“Whatever demons drink,” He replied drily.

The irony seemed to have been lost on the nephilim server, since they simply winked in acknowledgement and quickly came back with a thick golden fluid that filled a wide, short glass halfway. Asmodeus shrugged and downed the liquid in one go, feeling his organs spring to life, he signaled for more.

* * *

“Where’s Izzy?!” Alec exclaimed, pulling their door open to find a visibly shaken Simon. “Simon, is everything okay?” Magnus asked, when Simon didn’t immediately respond.

“Yeah” he finally exhaled, “she’s got a sprained ankle and a twisted arm but s—she’s . . .” Simon trailed off.

“What is it?”

“She’s not herself.”

* * *

“She doesn’t have the mark,” Clary said, looking pensive, as soon as Simon led Magnus and Alec into the institute. “I checked.”

Magnus rushed to her, waving his hands over her injured leg and arm to ascertain further injuries.

Isabelle looked perfectly alright, except, the muscle around her mouth kept twitching continuously, speeding up and slowing down. When she opened her eyes, they were entirely black. Her full lips into a sinister grin split.

“Look at you.” A voice that wasn’t quite Isabelle’s, rumbled out of her lips. “A Prince wasting away for a Nephilim.” Izzy spat out, “One that doesn’t even value you as you should be valued. You should be—”

Isabelle shut her eyes, her forehead into a sweat.

“Iz” Alec said softly, slipping his fingers through hers, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. Concern knit his face tightly.

Isabelle’s eyes shot open towards Alec, they were pitch black, “And you, you selfish—“

“That’s enough” Magnus warned. He exhaled and lowered his voice, “Isabelle, dear” he whispered, clasping her hand. Isabelle snapped her head back to look at Magnus. “Listen to my voice. Follow it.” White wisps of Magnus’ magic began swirling up her arm from where they touched. Isabelle blinked rapidly before closing her eyes again. When she opened them again, gasping for air. Her dark brown eyes were back.

“Magnus,” she began, “W-What happened?”

“Let’s get you out of here,” Magnus said, nodding at Alec.

* * *

Magnus and Clary helped Isabelle settle down on the couch, sitting beside her on both sides to support her while Alec kneeled in front of her, his elbow resting on Magnus’ knees.

“It all happened very fast,” Isabelle winced, gingerly shifting her injured leg. “The portal connecting the towers with the institute started pulsating and . . .”

Clary urged Isabelle, nodding at her.

“. . . I thought I was the last person, locking up, but I think I saw Henry. And his presence seemed to disrupt the portal because the whole thing started collapsing and the tower—I just jumped through when the structure started collapsing. We’ve been having problems with the east tower since the beginning of our reconstruction.” She nodded at Magnus.

Alec looked at him.

“It’s the point of intersection for many ley lines” Magnus explained. “Making it particularly vulnerable to anyone who could manipulate magic. Alicante’s founders were similarly concerned but since the city was built on exclusionary principles, no one imagined that downworlders would dare provoke a Nephilim military stronghold and they were right.” Magnus sighed, placing his hand on Alec’s forearm. “And now that the towers are being reconfigured to allow in downworlders, it’s become vulnerable.”

“Do we know who could be exploiting this?” Alec asked.

“Could be anyone.”

“But only warlocks can summon demons, right?” Clary asked.

“Not necessarily,” Isabelle said, “The Codex says that warlocks most often perform summonings but not exclusively. They could be Seelie or anyone with access to magic, directly or indirectly.”

“Asmodeus” Raphael said, shutting the door behind him.

Alec shot Magnus a panicked look, the bloody pentagram on Magnus from his recent dream branded behind his eyelids. “Are we sure?”

“Seems most likely.” There was defeat in Magnus’ tone. He shook his head, muttering to himself.

“In that case,” Alec responded, squeezing his husband’s knee, “we’ll keep this tight, only talk to people who already know.” He looked at Raphael, and they nodded at each other.

“I’ll call Simon and Jace.”

A red dawn was breaking over the horizon when Raphael opened the door to let Jace and Simon in. Jace busied himself in the kitchen making everyone some coffee. Clary was stirring Magnus’ healing potion. Isabelle was finally asleep in Magnus and Alec’s bedroom while Simon and Raphael anxiously pored through Magnus’ books.

Magnus got up and stretched himself. He made his way into their bedroom to find Alec dozing off on his side of the bed, half sitting, and his hand still grabbing a wet sponge. Magnus couldn’t help but smile. He made his way quietly near Alec and gently sat down beside him, skimming the bandaged area of his torso and muttering a healing spell, _just in case._ He leaned in and pressed a whisper of a kiss to Alec’s forehead before making to leave.

Alec caught his wrist.

“C’mere” he said, his voice thick from exhaustion and sleep.

“You need to rest.” Magnus said.

“Okay,” Alec said, tugging at his wrist “but give me a proper kiss first.”

Magnus huffed and pecked him on the lips.

“What was _that_?” Alec scoffed.

“Alexander—“

Alec pulled him by his collar and kissed him hard. Sneaking his hand down to Magnus' arse.

“Alec” Magnus laughed, pulling away hurriedly and whispering fiercely, “Your sister’s here!”

“She’s asleep.” Alec deadpanned, craning his neck to kiss Magnus on the mouth.

“I’m really not, brother.”

* * *

Jace handed Isabelle and Alec their coffees when the two of them drifted out of the bedroom.

“We think we know why you weren’t affected like Izzy, Alec” Simon chirped, his eyes shining. Before Alec had a chance to respond, Simon continued, “Aimiro is a mind hunter but first and foremost, it’s a greater demon without corporeality. It needs hosts in any environment. Its advanced sentience makes it amoral in the sense that it doesn’t care if the host is of demonic or angelic origin. As long as it can feed off of its host’s life force while preying on its memories.”

“So, how—“

“Izzy fought it,” Simon explained.

“But how does she not have the mark Alec does?” Jace asked, wincing at the memory of Alec’s pain.

“It’s folklore amongst Edom dwellers,” Magnus said, “but the popular idea is that Aimiro’s ability to prey on and therefore partially contain its hosts’ recent memories often causes it to gain a . . . purpose, so to speak. Apart from feeding and surviving.”

“Since Asmodeus hated you the most when Magnus sent . . .” Simon said, looking at Alec and shutting up immediately at Alec’s expression.

“But that still doesn’t explain how or when Asmodeus got out of limbo” Jace said, getting up “more coffee?”

“Are you sure that Asmodeus is in Alicante?” Clary asked.

Simon nodded quickly. “When Raph and I went to inspect the lowest level in the tower—the base around which Aimiro appeared from every single time—we couldn’t get through after a certain point. It was like there was a physical barrier. And we saw his mark.”

“His pentagram with Edom’s sigil.” Raphael added.

“I still don’t get who could’ve summoned it.” Isabelle said into her coffee. “Only someone or something extremely powerful can contain Aimiro.”

“But the mind hunter is sentient, couldn’t it just be using Asmodeus’—“

Alec’s eyes widened with realization.

Magnus suddenly sprang up from his seat. “That’s it!”

Everyone else looked at him, confused.

“My father must have contained Aimiro inside himself! That has to be it! And when I sent him into limbo, the mind hunter must have escaped it, looking for hosts and that has somehow managed to set Asmodeus free as well.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please R&R, they make a world of difference <3  
> Stay safe, stay healthy.


	5. - the gateway, part ii -

“Biscuit, you know what to do.” Magnus said, having finished his phone calls.

“Good luck,” Clary gave Magnus a quick hug and helped Isabelle up. “We’ll let you know as soon as we find out.”

“Magnus,” Isabelle clung to his arm, “you don’t have to do this.”

“Unfortunately, it’s the only thing left to be done, dear.”

Isabelle sighed. “You better take care of him, Alec and don’t do anything stupid until we’re back.”

Alec raised his eyebrows but pressed a kiss on her cheek all the same. “How can I?” He answered, looking at the Jace, Raphael and Simon who had clustered around the door. “You’re taking all the stupid with you.”

Magnus was frowning at the Red Book, having just finished drawing his pentagram on the floor. “Alec, will you pass me the—“

Alec kneeled down and began setting the candles on the points the pentagram touched the greater and lesser circles. “Are you sure there’s no other way?” He asked, getting up and moving towards Magnus. He peered into the age-worn pages of the book in Magnus’ hand. It was a language he had been forbidden to even look upon in his childhood. But Alec recognized certain pictographs and there was an illustration that made his blood run cold in an instant.

“What’s that?” Alec asked, dread creeping cold in his veins.

“That’s Asmodeus’ mark. It’s a part of the ritual.” Magnus tried to sound casual but Alec detected the tension in his voice.

He stepped into Magnus' space and slipped his arms around his torso from behind. “No”

Magnus sighed, half-exasperated and half-fond. “Alec—“

“No! Magnus, no!”

“Only blood calls to blood, Alec. And only Asmodeus can contain Aimiro.” Magnus reasoned.

“There has to be another way . . . anything” Alec said, holding onto him tightly.

Magnus shut the book, turned in his arms and grazed his husband's face with the back of his fingers. Alec leaned into his touch. “It won’t hurt me.”

Alec didn’t look convinced.

Magnus kissed the corner of his mouth and murmured.

“At least not in a way that matters, husband.”

* * *

“I’m sorry you have to see this,” Catarina said to Alec. “But there really is no other way.”

Alec nodded slowly.

“Do you want to wait somewhere else?” Dot asked gently.

“No.” Alec said, then “Let me do it” he added resolutely.

“Alec—“

“I’m sure.” He said, pulling Magnus near him. “Tell me what to do.”

Magnus searched his husband’s determined face for a while, then gave in. He undid the black chain that held a claw from around his neck and handed it to Alec. “Use this.”

Alec looked at him questioningly.

“It’s Asmodeus’ claw“ explained Magnus. “It’s a long story,” he smiled weakly, undoing the laces of his top and removing it from his person. Alec’s eyes searched his face, drifting to his chest, lingering on the imitated rune. “The circle first,” Magnus continued, “Anti-clockwise and the pentagram from bottom up.”

Alec kissed him and Magnus’ eyes flew shut, suspended in that long moment feeling the soft insistence of his mouth, snug in Alec’s arms.

“I love you, Magnus.” Alec pressed the claw into his chest, right below his wedding rune, immediately drawing blood. Their foreheads touched, Magnus’ breaths came out uneven and heavy.

“And I, you” Magnus bit out, gritting his teeth.

The otherwise non-descript claw sliced easily through Magnus’ smooth, unmarked skin like a hot knife through wax. Drawing dark red blood that spilled down his skin, trapping around Alec’s fingers. Magnus pressed his forehead on Alec’s shoulder as he finished the circle, gripping his arm so tight, it was sure to bruise. “Magnus—“

“No!” he exclaimed, his voice mute with pain. “You can’t stop.”

Alec’s own heart split apart and his eyes burned.

"It's okay, cintaku." Magnus brushed his lips against Alec's. "You can't hurt me."

Hands trembling, Alec ran his stele over his equilibrium and precision runes and pressed the claw to his husband’s chest once more.

* * *

The dust still hung in thick layers over the recent ruins of the East tower.

Isabelle, Clary and Jace ran their steles over their strength runes while Raphael and Simon began sifting the rubble that covered the entrance to the base of the tower. The three of them then hauled open the thick gunmetal doors, releasing a cloud of dust that threw them into a coughing fit.

“Shit” Isabelle said.

Shit, indeed.

Unsurprisingly, the electric system inside had completely broken down, and it was easily enough remedied by three of their night vision runes and the two other’s naturally enhanced vision. What was curious was the strange dull orange and red glow emitting through cracks on one of the newly enforced walls.

The five of them made their way cautiously, aware of some malevolent lurking presence that spoke only to their intuitions. No one dared say a word as they reached the wall.

“This can’t be possible,” Simon gasped, not believing his eyes. “It’s like . . . it’s like Edom.”

Dread wound tight around all of their throats as they stared through the cracks.

The area that had been recently reinforced for weapons storage was brightly lit in fiery light. It seemed alive, pulsating from a rift that seemed to have opened up on the floor below. The darkness around the light bled pitch black, embers sometimes burst forth and sputtered out and crackled around on the floor. An angry, dimly glowing pentagram covered the ground in its entirety.

Jace heard it first.

It was the slightest of movements, yet he heard it first because he recognized Henry from stealth training. Before anyone could react, Henry, or what seemed like the remnants of Henry, leapt from one of the dark corners directly at Jace, growling insidiously as his singed flesh rapidly disintegrated from his body, exposing bones and sinew. Jace acted quickly, activating his runes and swinging at the thing, but he missed and the creature dragged its nails across Jace’s neck, making him yell in pain as his flesh sizzled from the sulphuric acid. The grotesque manifestation of Jace’s teammate lunged towards him for a second time, but Isabelle was ready for him; in a swift stroke of her seraph blade, she cut him in half from the torso but the force of her blow splattered her sword arm with the sulphur and she suppressed a scream, quickly activating her _iratze_ as they all watched the thing vanish in an inky cloud of smoke.

Another creature jumped at them. Raphael noticed it wasn’t runed as it slammed his back into the concrete, slicing his arm with a claw, Raphael groaned aloud in pain and Simon dashed towards him to cut it down.

“It isn’t just the shadowhunters” Raphael panted, adrenaline burning through him.

“That was Alia,” Simon interjected, his eyes wide and brimming.

Isabelle sighed deeply. “Alia worked in archives.” The next words seemed as if they were being dragged from her mouth, “She is—was—half-Seelie.”

“Clary,” Isabelle said, sounding tired. “Seal the steel doors, we can't let these things escape if there are more—“

A series of terrible growls began emitting from behind them. It was as if the sounds had begun taking form behind the thick wall, rolling into things that began clunking repeatedly against the adamas reinforcement, widening the cracks. Fiery dust rose in wisps out of them, filling the cramped space the five of them found themselves engulfed in pungent fumes.

“On it!” Clary shouted, coughing violently, already swinging from the circular crack in the concrete above them, and lifted herself out.

“Nadia must be here too.” Jace said, nodding at Isabelle.

“We need to look for her,” she replied. There’s a hallway around that corner,” Isabelle continued, pointing towards the menacing blackness. Even with night vision they couldn’t see through it. “Use your seraph blade,” she advised.

“I’ll go with you,” Simon offered.

“Don’t be an idiot!” Jace barked. “You’re armed with a mundane weapon. And you’ll slow me down.”

“Jace,” Simon said again, “this isn’t a discussion. I’m coming with you.” He strode quickly to go stand beside Jace. The clunking kept growing louder by the second.

“The adamas should hold whatever is trying to break through . . . for a while at least” Isabelle said.

Clary appeared beside them blasting through the spot where the portal to the institute had existed. Daylight streamed in brightly. “I’ll take them back to Magnus and Alec’s” she said, nodding at Isabelle and Raphael. “Will you two be okay?”

Jace rolled his eyes. “Can’t guarantee his majesty’s safety.”

Clary ignored him. “Magnus will know what to do.” She said, glancing at the basement wall.

* * *

"Will you be okay?" Alec asked, cradling Magnus in his left arm and helping him to the outer circle where Dot and Catarina had already taken their respective positions.

Magnus didn't answer him, instead he gave Alec a watery smile and kissed him softly.

Catarina and Dot busied themselves, lighting the candles. They held out their hands to Magnus. Alec stood close behind him, afraid he'd fall.

"Hang in there," Catarina said to Magnus.

"Always, Cat."

"You should step back," Dot said to Alec and cast a protective shield around him, her amber magic encasing Alec in an aura around him.

Alec watched as Catarina, Magnus and Dot held hands and began chanting in ancient chthonic. Their voices rose with each line they spoke, each musical phrase ringing in his ears. Each sentence from a language only the warlocks had knowledge of now. Alec was a little mesmerized, the rhythmic chanting resonated inside him. Evoking feelings of something primal, ancient. He felt heady, his focus waning a little. Alec wasn't sure how much time had passed but the soft halos around the lit candles seemed to suddenly flare up in a fiery vermilion glow.

Smoke, dense and black rose from the centre of the pentagram, surrounding the three warlocks, red hellfire lashed back and forth from the tornado of smoke. The smell of sulphur stung Alec’s eyes and made him tear up. _Magnus_ , he wanted to call out, watching the three of them being lifted off their feet a few inches up in the air, but Alec choked on the burning scent of the atmosphere.

It must have lasted only a few seconds because suddenly the smoke cleared and there, in the centre, bound by the three warlocks, stood Asmodeus.

He was taller than Alec remembered as they watched him unfold into his full humanoid height. His face was gaunt and his lips cracked. But it was his eyes that really struck Alec, defiant and glowing, the same flashing amber that also belonged to the love of his life.

“Anakku sayang," Asmodeus’ sibilant voice was loud in the desperate silence that suddenly permeated in their loft.

“Don’t you even think about making any moves,” Alec spat, stringing an arrow to his bow and pointing it at Asmodeus.

Asmodeus moved a foot out of the inner circle and was immediately jolted back inside. “A blood ritual,” he sneered at the three of them. “Why,” he said, looking at Magnus, “surely you don’t have anything to fear from me” he circled around the spot, looking at all three of them balefully, “it is this Nephilim who has you wrapped around his little finger. You, the heir to Edom!” His voice boomed uncomfortably in Alec’s ears.

“Choose your next words very carefully, _ayah_ , this is my husband you’re talking about.” Magnus finally said.

There was a pregnant pause where the two of them watched one another for a few seconds.

“Very well,” Asmodeus shrugged, “To what do I owe this pleasure?” he said, his expression signalling the very opposite.

“Don’t” Magnus’ voice rose, and Catarina cut in, “Why have you summoned the mind hunter to Alicante?”

The direct question seemed to snap Asmodeus out of his act because for the first time, he _had the audacity_ to look surprised. He looked at Magnus and at Catarina and at Dot, then distantly at Alec, his eyes fixated on Alec’s torso. Then they widened slightly as realization dawned upon him.

“So that’s what it was,” Asmodeus mumbled quietly to himself.

“Jawab aku!” Magnus said with barely suppressed rage.

“I’m sorry, sayangku. But I have no idea what you are talking about.”


	6. - the gateway, part iii –

Fiery red ropes of magic struck out with a vengeance from Magnus’ palms, engulfing him in an aura of red, the fire glinting off of his eyes, blazing with anger.

Asmodeus merely flicked them away with his fingers.

“For someone who has lived almost half a millennia, _sayangku_ , you haven’t grown any wiser. But I was always your weakness, wasn’t I?”

“What is he talking about?!” Alec exclaimed, stretching the arrow in his bow.

“Blood magic,” Asmodeus answered, his cold, amber stare flicking towards Alec, “it extracts a heavy toll. And you cannot hurt me unless you wish to hurt your,” his lips morphed into a sneer, “. . . _pet_ warlock.”

“And I’m prepared to pay it!” Magnus snarled, tottering on his feet. “Shoot him!” Magnus shouted. “Do it!”

“Magnus,” Alec stepped closer to him.

Asmodeus didn’t flinch for a second. His voice boomed in the rush of air of their loft, “Ah, I can feel my children trying to come to me.”

“What are you on about?!”

“There’s a rift in the east tower. That’s where Aimiro has nested.” Isabelle exclaimed, bursting through a portal with Clary and Raphael. “We don’t have much time!”

“Dios mio.” Raphael exclaimed under his breath, when they had gotten over the initial shock of seeing Asmodeus, in the _flesh_ , in Alicante of all places.

“But we saw Edom being _destroyed_.” Clary murmured more to herself.

“You foolish Nephilim,” Asmodeus laughed bitterly, enunciating the word 'nephilim' with particular bitterness. “Edom isn’t just a place. Its existence is necessary to maintain balance in the universe. Life and Death. There is no light without darkness,” he looked at Magnus and Alec meaningfully. “No Nephilim without Downworlders.”

“Magnus, it’s time.” Catarina said urgently, “We can’t hold on much longer.”

The three warlocks looked at one another resolutely, and began chanting again in what Isabelle recognized as old Armenian. Five spears, reinforced with adamas, materialized out of plain air, hovering over the five points of the pentagram. The triad stopped chanting. The spears fixed themselves on the points, a low hum emanating from the thin, translucent perimeter it set up around a startled Asmodeus.

“Nephilim magic?” he taunts, but the chanting grows louder, changing into Amharic now. Everyone else watches silently, rapt, unaware of the next event, their bodies tense.

The air inside the pentagram swirled muddily, grew thick with the kind of smoke Alec’s eerily familiar with. His mouth immediately dried up from the memory of the shrill cries. He braced himself.

Asmodeus’ blazing eyes are the only thing visible through the curtain of smoke surrounding him, now twisting slowly into tame wisps of obsidian wrapping around him, both of them contained by the makeshift Malachi configuration.

Then they hear it. That _godforsaken_ sound.

Dot watches the shadownhunters crumple to the ground while Raphael shoots a look of panic towards them, clutching his bleeding arm, unsure what to do.

“Why isn’t it working!?” Dot screams over the vibrations that resonate like seismic waves inside her chest, unheard by her but almost knocking her off of her feet. "The mind-hunter should've been able to recognize its old host!"

The four of them look at the blackness around Asmodeus, shape-shifting into a long, cylindrical thickness, by and by, scales glistening like wet metal grow on it, as if etched from the smokiness, as if drawing its power from Asmodeus himself.

Asmodeus raises a hand and the wailing stops. The vortex of darkness had morphed into a basilisk, its blind head looming above Asmodeus’ head, part of its body coiled around him, wrapped like a pet. His mouth twists in a cruel shape and he laughs.

“Frankly, I’m disappointed.” His eyes swept the three warlocks balefully. “But I suppose you are all young,” he continued, directing his gaze towards Magnus. Magnus was trembling, Catarina and Dot held onto him tightly. His skin had broken into a sweat from the pain and the stress. The pentagram on his chest refused to let up the slow trickle of blood that drenched his trousers. “And on that account, I’m ready to forgive you, sayangku. For all your bitterness against me. And the hurt you’ve caused me. You’ve lived long enough, you’ll live even longer. Come with me to Edom. Take your rightful place.”

“What the hell is happening?!” Jace said, bursting out of a portal with Simon at his side.

“Welcome to my family drama” Magnus said weakly.

“Why isn’t it working?“ Dot exclaimed.

“You know why. Aimiro is a _part_ of me.”

With what looked like immense effort, Magnus snapped his fingers, sealing Asmodeus’ mouth. Immediately, all strength seemed to drain from his body and he tottered on his feet, and began falling.

“Magnus!” Alec cried out in anguish, rushing towards him and falling on his knees, just in time to break his fall, Magnus collapsing in his arms.

“What is happening to you?!” Alec held him carefully, cradling his trembling form, his hands touching him gingerly. “Do something!” he cried out at Catarina and Dot.

“Oh, Magnus,” Clary said softly, having rushed to Alec and Magnus. Quickly, she drew the Alliance rune on herself and Magnus, and ran her stele over her Iratze in an attempt to share her strength with him.

“Let me do it.” Alec nodded, extending his arm.

“No!” Isabelle said, “Alec, you’re infected, you _can’t_.”

“She’s right,” Dot said, dropping to her knees near them. She drew a complicated symbol in the air, her hands dancing together, then magic rushed out of her, silver and purple, trickling out her palms and curling around Magnus. 

The shallow breaths whispering out of Magnus swelled and he gasped for air, snapping his eyes open.

“ _Alexander_ ,” he said, his soft voice torn with fatigue.

“You didn’t tell me . . .” Alec’s voice broke, “that this was the price.” He whispered his fingers ghosting over the unhealing wound on his husband’s delicate skin, his eyes shining with unshed tears.

“You wouldn’t let me do this, otherwise.” Magnus rasped, “And it was the only way.”

“You stubborn man!” Alec cried out burying his face in the crook of Magnus’ neck, his muffled sobs wracking through his body, vibrating against Magnus’.

Magnus didn’t move from Alec’s embrace, his arms holding weakly onto Alec, going around his neck. “I’m so sorry, my _darling_.”

“Promise me,” Alec said, his voice hoarse. “Promise me, you’ll never do something like this, ever again.” He slipped a hand to the back of Magnus’ neck and leaned in, kissing the corners of his mouth. Magnus’ hand moved to touch Alec’s hair, sweeping them away from his forehead. He then pressed a kiss to Alec’s lips.

Dot, who was still standing close to them, felt herself flush deeply and she shuffled away awkwardly, intensely aware that she was intruding on something very personal.

* * *

Isabelle and Clary accompanied Catarina to the institute, portalling Asmodeus, trapped in the configuration and confining him to the most secure of their cells.

“You cannot possibly believe that you can keep me here for long.” Asmodeus said when Magnus’ magic had worn off, unsealing his lips. “Edom grows impatient at my prolonged absence. My subjects will want vengeance.” The serpentine form of Aimiro slithered close around the periphery of their confinement, towering over everyone and hissing insidiously.

“ _Puta_ _mierda!_ ” Isabelle thundered, “Do you really think I’ll let you get away!?”

Asmodeus widened his eyes in mock-horror.

Isabelle began to dash towards him but Clary held her back, “we’ll figure it out, Iz. We always do.” She promised, nodding at Catarina, who opened a portal for them leading back to Magnus and Alec’s.

* * *

“Where’s Izzy?!” Alec said, when the portal closed behind Clary.

“I’m here,” Izzy said, entering through the door. “Relax,” and she wrapped her arms around Alec who had rushed towards her. Alec anxiously inspected her injury. “Alec, I swear, I’m fine. I just stopped by to pick some herbs.”

When Alec looked somewhat placated, she asked, “How’s Magnus?”

“Alec’s a lucky man,” Dot said, looking at the Lightwood siblings huddled together. And since Magnus _knew_ Dot, he detected the wistfulness in her tone.

“I’m the one that’s lucky.” Magnus said, smiling at her, “And someday you’ll be lucky too.”

 _I have been_ , she wants to say _I have loved you Magnus, and I’m so happy for you_ ; but Alec Lightwood-Bane is making his way towards them, holstering his blade and taking off his gloves, his sister falling in step beside him. Dot feels a sharp twisting sensation spreading in her chest looking at Magnus smiling fondly at Alec as he made his way towards them. Unbidden, thoughts of her own loneliness flashed across her mind, _such thoughts are futile when life goes on and on. Time hasn’t brought much relief_ , but Dot has learned to live with regrets. _What’s another hundred years of solitude?_

“¿Cómo está mi querido cuñado?” Isabelle said into Magnus’ shoulder, slipping her arms tightly around his.

“I’m fine, cariño.” Magnus chuckled softly.

“You better be. More for my sake than Alec’s.” Isabelle said, looking up tenderly at Magnus, her eyes shining. “I wouldn’t know what to do without you.”

“Yo tampoco, Izzy.”

* * *

The summoning ritual had left Magnus exhausted from the heavy drain of his magic, the likes of which he hadn’t felt . . . _well_ , since Peru or from his troubled childhood. Noticing his unsuccessful attempts to magically conjure his healing potion from the ingredients Izzy had so thoughtfully procured, Dot offered to help. She set to work, treating Magnus, Raphael and the rest of the shadowhunter’s wounds.

“It’s true then,” Jace said solemnly, “Asmodeus was manipulating Aimiro all this time.”

“I still don’t understand it.” Clary said, looking at Magnus. “How did Asmodeus escape limbo? Isn’t that supposed to be impossible?”

“It’s just unheard of,” Isabelle said from the kitchen. “Just that it has never happened before in history. Our recorded Nephilim history.” She added with emphasis.

“That’s right. Edomic power is strong.” Dot explained. “It’s more complex and powerful than what Nephilims credit it with.” She sighed. “Asmodeus is older than three and a half millennia, perhaps more. And you heard what he said, it’s not about the geography itself. It’s about balancing the forces of darkness and light.”

“Like yin and yang.” Raphael added.

Magnus nodded his assent, sitting down on the couch. He gestured for the Red Book which Simon fetched him. “I have a lot to read on, I suppose.”

“Are you sure you alone—“

“Alright.” Jace cut Simon off, “Since we’re all going to be here for a while, who wants pancakes?”


	7. - the mark of asmodeus -

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> bidness, my favrittt, thank you SO much for the jumping off point, ilysm <3

“The basilisk is a creature of tremendous size.” Magnus argued, poking with his fork the plate of pancakes Jace set down in his hands. “I need a drink.”

“You need to eat,” Jace said and looked meaningfully at Alec.

“Magnus,” Alec sighed and slipped an arm around Magnus, pulling him closer to himself when they all sat down around their coffees and teas and a mountain of pancakes. “Please.”

“Fine,” he rolled his eyes, sighing dramatically.

“Exactly,” Isabelle said, “which is why what we saw must have only been the top of it, possibly not even half its actual size. It must be at least . . . “ she trailed off, flipping through the Book of Demons.

“About fifty feet or more for an adult one,” Simon supplied. Raphael and Alec raised their eyes at him. “What?” Simon said, “I know of it from _Harry Potter_.”

“Regardless of its exact size, this does tell us that the rift is still open, and Aimiro is somehow directly channeling Edom’s energy.” Alec said.

They all looked at one another pensively. The implication of the words hanging with doom on everyone’s faces. _Another open gateway_ —

“We have to close the rift.” Magnus said, looking at Dot. “Give Cat a call. Others warlocks too, if they’re around. Given the concentration of the ley lines, there’s a chance that there will be more tears in the fabric between Edom and here if we don’t act fast.”

Dot nodded but Alec turned to Magnus, “Absolutely not. _You_ are not going anywhere near that rift.”

“Magnus, you don’t have the strength.” Raphael said, concern knitting his browns into a frown. “Let the others handle this.”

“Every warlock has been spread thin trying to repair the damage from the wars.” Magnus reasoned, “No one will bother with a simple rift.” His mouth twisted into a grimace, “especially one created by my father."

“I don’t give a shit,” Alec said with finality, “We’re going to come up with a plan that involves you staying as far away from those towers as possible.”

"It's not like I'll just vanish, you silly boy."

"I'm not taking any risks." Alec said, determined, his eyes already softening.

" _My sweet_ shadowhunter." Magnus whispered, planting a kiss on his cheek.

Alec bit back a low growl, "don't talk like that because then I’ll just _have_ to cancel this meeting and send everyone away."

"Mm, I like that idea," Magnus smiled, tracing a finger up Alec’s arm, "and what do you think you'd like to do with this off day, Mr. Lightwood-Bane?"

"You," Alec said without losing a beat.

“Ay, Dios mío! Are you two done flirting?" Raphael exhaled, glancing exasperatedly between the two of them. "Can we talk about a plan for those godforsaken towers?"

* * *

_It’s scorching._

Alec feels his skin burn and devoid of humidity, Edom’s air makes his skin crawl, makes him feel like it’s going to tear away from his flesh, crack open his bones and leave him to sublimate into vapours that rendered its inhospitable atmosphere.

 _Magnus is at home here_ , he thinks. _He’s born of it, his biology adapted to it._

And then Alec spots his _beautiful_ husband waiting for him at the end of the road, standing near their table, framed by the shelves of herbs surrounding him, and piled high with books and some paraphernalia from their home.

Alec’s breathing stills. He takes a quiet moment, just standing there and catching his breath; Magnus’ name always on his lips.

“Alexander,” Magnus says, a smile lighting up his face. _So gentle and kind_. “Come here.”

Overwhelmed, Alec starts making his way towards him, the lithe form of Magnus, beckoning him. But the distance doesn’t seem to close, and Alec realizes with panic twisting his insides that he’s been walking for hours, days even.

“Magnus!” he cries.

“You okay?”

Alec gasps awake, skin breaking into a cold sweat.

Magnus sits up beside him, quick to respond, his warm hand a reassuring weight on his chest, over his rapidly beating heart. “Alec?” he asks again, worried.

“Bad dream,” Alec sighs, breathing into his hand that comes up to cover his face. His other hand slips on top of Magnus’.

Alec had never been superstitious but the timing of all this suddenly felt very ominous. And deep down in his core, fear bloomed, creeping like a vine, tight around his throat.

“Tell me what I can do.” Magnus’ voice is gentle against his ear. His hand resting on Alec’s torso, the wounds of which had finally begun to heal, very, very slowly, but they were healing nonetheless.

Alec turned his face to press his forehead to Magnus’, his hand skimming over the angry red mark on his chest. He leaned in and kissed him desperately.

“I need you.”

* * *

The mood in the institute is disconsolate. Catarina and Magnus had discovered from Red Book that it was the traditional duty of Edom’s heir and ruler to contain Aimiro, by binding them within themselves which they figured must have been a weapon for the royalty. Unfortunately, it also meant that Magnus, having had banished Asmodeus to limbo was now the default heir.

“Don’t tell me you’re surprised.” Asmodeus scoffed, the basilisk coiled loosely around him, mirroring his emotions. “You’ve prepared all your life for this. This isn’t something you _choose_ , sayangku, it’s your fate. An unforgiving one.” Aimiro reared its head.

“Don’t you get it? This doesn’t mean anything to me.” Magnus fumed, “I already have the life I’ve always wanted. I have a husband.”

“I am your father!” Asmodeus’ exclamation was underscored by the sinister hiss that vibrated against Magnus’ eardrums.

Magnus pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. His phone rang just then.

“Hey,” came Alec’s voice. “You holding up okay in there?”

“Yeah,” he sighed. “Tell Cat we need to seal the rift in east tower.”

“What about you?”

“I’ll be upstairs in a few.”

“Are you sure there’s no other way?”

“I’m certain.” Magnus hung his head, massaging the back of his neck anxiously, “the alternative is worse.”

Isabelle was about to respond when Alec spotted the two and strode towards them quickly.

“What’s worse?” he asked.

“Nothing,” Magnus said, smiling tightly and touching Alec’s elbow. “We’ll see you soon, querida,” he said to Isabelle, kissing her cheek, then turned to Alec once more. “Let’s go home for lunch.”

And before Alec had a chance to process the concerned look that Izzy shot Magnus, his husband had already conjured a portal and pulled them through it.

* * *

Alec exhales slowly, his breath shuddering, moving his hips in a rolling motion. He studies Magnus closely, his eyes drifting between his soft mouth, parted and gasping with their combined movements, and the imitated rune and his amber eyes, boring into his.

Alec’s hands find purchase on Magnus' strong, thick arms, sliding up to his shoulders as he leans down to kiss him. His back arches in pleasure as Magnus skillfully works his erection, the softer skin of his thumb brushing over his tip, making him _shiver_.

Alec grounds down on Magnus, falling to lean on his elbows, burying his face in his husband's throat, inhaling his scent, sandalwood and lavender and chamomile tea from the morning. Magnus groans against his neck, lips quickly finding Alec’s throbbing pulse and his teeth biting into his rune, sending Alec over the edge. Magnus' attention is singular, his hand tugs at Alec and Alec grunts and spurts all over his stomach.

Alec watches, convulsing around Magnus as Magnus follows him into orgasm, still buried inside him. 

Magnus always gets this little frown when he’s close, and throws his head behind as he thrusts deeper into Alec right before he finishes. And Alec loves it. Loves watching him come undone and his eyes brim with contentment, Alec’s name on his lips.

"Hi," Alec says, snuggling close to Magnus as soon as he's on his back, idly playing with his soft, spiky hair, feeling the prickle of his stubble against his chin. “Not that I’m complaining about ‘lunch’,” he said, grinning, “but is something the matter? You haven’t mentioned what happened with your father.”

Alec knew he had struck a nerve, because at the mention of Asmodeus, he felt Magnus bristle immediately. “Magnus? What’s wrong?”

Magnus kept staring at the ceiling for a while, then turned to face Alec, his hand pushing Alec flat on his back as he lifted himself off and straddled Alec’s thighs. “Asmodeus can wait.” He murmured against Alec’s mouth.

Catarina was waiting for them with Meera when Magnus and Alec returned to the institute after their long lunch. Alec pressed a kiss to Magnus’ forehead and went to find Jace and the others as Magnus made his way to where Catarina stood.

“Long time no see.” He smiled at Meera, “How have you been?”

“A story for another time.” Meera said after a beat.

Magnus smiled wider. “We've all been apart for far too long."

“I'm happy for you,” Meera said, raising her eyebrows, “Who’d have known? Magnus Bane, finally tied down. To a shadowhunter, no less.” She winked mischievously. “Also one who looks like _that_.” She gazed in the direction Alec had disappeared to.

“It’s Lightwood-Bane now.” Catarina corrected her, smiling. Meera nodded admiringly.

“Well, then, _many_ congratulations are in order.”

“And many, many drinks.” Magnus conceded, “But first, let’s close that bloody rift.”

“There’s been a lot of panic,” Jace said, “Confining Asmodeus in the institute is ruffling more feathers than we thought of. The Consulate is looking to point fingers. They’re talking about favouritism.”

“The Consulate can talk to me first.” Alec barked.

“I’m just relaying a friendly message from Helen,” Jace raised his hands, “We’re on the same team.”

“Catarina and Dot have already notified the warlocks. They’ll seal the rift any time now.” Isabelle assured Alec, “don’t worry.”

“Magnus is hiding something from me.” Alec exhaled, “I can tell. He’s being very closed off. Magnus is never like that.”

“Doesn’t look like he’s being too closed off, mi hermano.” Isabelle raised her eyebrows at the state of Alec’s throat, a smile breaking out on her face, “thank the Angel, your sex life isn’t falling apart like the institute.”

Jace snickered beside her.

”Stop,” Alec whispered, blushing furiously, eyes widening, “Not now!”

* * *

“Why don’t you start by telling me what you want?” Alec said. “You’ve always liked a good bargain. You were happy to barter you son’s happiness for yourself.”

“I just want my son,” Asmodeus sneered. “And my son doesn’t understand what’s good for him. He’s young.”

Alec scoffed, “do you seriously believe that?”

Asmodeus’ eyes flashed amber and he smiled. “Oh, I know that. The question is, do you?” The basilisk reared its head, hissing menacingly.

Alec looked at him questioningly. His heart began thumping in his chest, his hands itching to press against his ears in order to brace himself.

The long, thick body of the serpent uncoiled itself and for the first time Alec really noticed the rift-like aperture it was flowing out from. This deep underground, the light from the torches and the portal glinted off of its black, metallic scales. “The truth of the matter is, Shadowhunter, my son doesn’t need you. _You_ need him.”

The basilisk was now hovering over Asmodeus, its head almost touching the high ceiling of Asmodeus’ cell. “You are the one who is holding him back from realizing his true destiny.”

Alec’s blood thrummed in his ears, his breathing grew shallow. A slow, sharp whine began to fill the air around him, pressing down on his eardrums.

When Alec comes to, Clary is bent over him, her eyebrows furrowed in tension.

He blinks, his line of vision clearing. The deafening silence withdraws from his ears and he can hear Clary shouting for help. Alec loses consciousness once more.

The second time he wakes up, his head resting against something reassuringly solid, his senses are surrounded by the most intimately familiar smell. “Magnus,” he calls, without opening his eyes.

When his eyes finally flit open, Magnus is holding him in his lap, his arms strong on Alec’s shoulders, his head bent and his body trembling, shaking against Alec’s.

“Magnus?” Alec says again, sitting up on his elbow. He reaches to touch Magnus cheek, his knuckles come in contact with the wetness of them. Magnus grips his wrist, his face pressing into Alec’s palm, he wouldn’t stop shaking. Alec felt a lump growing in his throat. “What’s wrong, baby?” He whispered, sitting up to hold Magnus against himself.

They barely registered the presence of others around them. Someone was shouting. Alec was certain he heard Asmodeus say something, but he couldn’t concentrate. He couldn’t focus on anything else except the trepidation in Magnus’ amber eyes and the way they flicked to Asmodeus, sharp, filled with a tornado of emotions that Alec couldn’t read because now his head was buzzing and when he touched where it throbbed, there was blood staining his glove.

Magnus looked at him, his eyes guarded. Wordlessly, his fingers sparked blue and stitched the small cut above Alec’s brow. Alec was staring at him with his piercing eyes, Magnus realized he was still waiting for an answer.

“The warlocks managed to seal the rift.” Magnus said, his own voice ringing strangely in his ears. The smile began in Alec’s eyes, the hazel of it brightening and the crinkling the skin on the sides, reaching his full lips and stretching wide.

“Magnus—but—t—that’s great!”

Magnus felt his throat tighten when he uttered the next words, “The rift is closed, yes, but only temporarily. One has to be in Edom, to completely seal it off.”

Alec’s face went slack with horror from the implication of the words Magnus had just spoken to him.

Magnus saw Alec’s smile falter. He could count the minutest emotions flicking across Alec’s expressive eyes, slowly clouding the face of the man he would happily die for. The centuries old part of him knows that nothing in life was ever guaranteed, the truth of life was flux, even if his immortality was perceived by some to be a constant. They were wrong. Magnus was not privy to the mysterious workings of time and the complex of intertwining lives. And Magnus knew, deep down, that this day would come. Eventually. The choices he made had inevitably led him to it, even if he had tried his hardest not to follow. It was his . . . _destiny_. Asmodeus’ words rang sharp in his ears.

Only, he hadn’t counted on this—this anomaly that Alec Lightwood had presented himself as, casually barging into his life like that arrow he had shot that circle member with, the very first time Magnus had laid eyes on him. And he had stayed. He had made his way into his very heart and tied himself to Magnus, without hesitation. His sweet, _sweet_ Alexander. Who loved him so much, that Magnus couldn’t believe he had lived so long without knowing this kind of love, forgot everything but Alec’s soft touch on his cheek. Alec’s eyes, glimmering with unshed tears, lit by torches.

“Alexander?”

Alec’s hands were warm and heavy on his neck, his forehead touched Magnus’, pressing their faces together.

“No.” He finally whispered, his voice mute with immense pain. “By the Angel, this can’t be happening again,” Alec cried out in anguish, tears were streaming freely down his face now. “ _No_ , _please_ , _not again_.”

Magnus heard Isabelle break into a sob beside him.

Everyone is silent by the time Magnus finished drawing the awfully familiar pentagram around Asmodeus’ confinement, aided by Catarina. The precision of their movements belied the deep uncertainty of what the future held.

“I’m not going to say goodbye, mi querido cuñado.” Isabelle said, nodding from across him.

Magnus smiled faintly. “I wouldn’t dream of it.”

Clary rushed into his arms, trembling. “W—we’ll come get you again.”

Magnus smiled with genuine fondness, “I’m afraid I have to make this journey on my own, Biscuit.” He kissed her head softly. “You make sure everything is in order here,” Magnus’ eyes flicked towards Alec. “There are certain duties we can’t hope to escape.”

"Magnus," Alec’s voice breaks his heart.

“Husband,” he says softly, when Alec’s near him again, close enough for Magnus to feel the warmth emanating from his body. Alec’s arms come around to hold him and Magnus’ reaches a hand between them, ghosting over Alec’s wedding rune. The words are stuck in his throat, they refuse to come out and Alec’s eyes are boring into his, silently understanding. “Don’t forget to restock vampire hair,” Magnus says, his eyes tingling. “And don’t forget me, even for a second,” his voice is constricted and small, being dragged out of his throat.

“I think about you even when I’m not thinking.” Alec said without losing a beat. "Come back to me" he continued, fighting through his tears, "You come back to me."

“Alec,” Magnus murmured against Alec’s lips, “Aku cinta padamu.”

Alec kissed him back feverishly, his fingers tangling in Magnus’ careful hair. Then he let go abruptly, before it was _too much_. And stepped outside the circumference.

Everyone fails to notice the softness that flashes for the briefest of moments, across Asmodeus’ features, startling even the Great Demon himself.

“With the powers vested in my as the High Warlock of Alicante.” Magnus’ voice breaks “And in accordance with Edom’s laws of sovereignty, I banish thee, Asmodeus, father, back to Edom.” he finished, his voice breaking.

Magnus nodded at everyone, and stole a long look at Alec, who was slumped against Clary. The pentagram flared up.


	8. - negotiation -

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi readers!  
> I don't have any practical knowledge of the Indonesian i'm using, it's all off of google translate, so please, do let me know of any discrepancies whatsoever!  
> ALSO, tbvh, I'm not happy with this chapter. I was really happy with ch 7 and this is probably my worst. I feel like I've kinda hamfisted the myth references (as one of the comments also points out) w/o qualifying them fully...so pls suspend your disbelief much more than what Coleridge asks of you for fiction. Asmodeus is from the Judaic tradition (which is over 3500 years old, so um,,,,he got around a lot???)
> 
> Enjoy <3

“I’m sorry, Alec. But the only way for him to come back is if he chooses to.” Dot said, “Because the alternative is worse.”

“You’re sorry!?” Alec scoffed in disbelief, “Is that the best you can come up with? And why is the alternative so much worse? It’s not like it was much different before.”

“This was before Asmodeus escaped limbo.” Catarina added. “And it might not seem much different to you, but Asmodeus’ rule was tyrannical.”

“We can’t let Magnus just stay in Edom,” Isabelle said. “There must be something Asmodeus wants.”

“Miss Lightwood, Mr. Lightwood-Bane,” Meera said, “I understand, I really do. But Asmodeus will outlive all of us. And he has existed since long before us. I don’t think—it’s not practical—“

“I’m sorry!?” Isabelle seethed, her tone incredulous, “ _Practical?_ You’re talking about my family!”

“I’m simply saying that the last time Magnus came back from Edom, Asmodeus escaped limbo.”

“Those aren’t directly related.” Dot reasoned.

“No,” Catarina said, “They aren’t, but its cause and effect.” She turned to Alec. “I have been friends with Magnus all my life. Trust me, I understand. I couldn’t begin to explain to you how difficult a choice this was for all of us. For him.”

Alec looked silently at Catarina and Meera for a bit, his eyes dark and shining impenetrably. “I don’t know about you, but I can’t live without my husband. That’s my explanation.” Meera opened her mouth to say something but Alec raised a hand, stopping her. “And you couldn’t begin to imagine that.” He turned resolutely to Dot. “We have to at least consider it.” He urged.

* * *

Time was a strange master, Asmodeus thought. He had lived longer than he could remember and he would continue to live so long. Yet, time was something he could never hope to bend to his will. Time had healed so many wounds, magnified other hurt and even more memories were lost to time. And Asmodeus felt none the wiser with regards to time.

Now, when his only surviving son stood before him, hard as the ancient stones that warlocks faded away into, Asmodeus, once again, found himself at the mercy of time. Master of it or not, time was always at his side. And Asmodeus was nothing if not patient. He wasn’t religious, but he prayed, oh, how he prayed to the only thing he couldn’t manipulate.

“Selamat datang di rumah, anakku tersayang.”

Asmodeus has been impervious to mortal sentiments for so long that it takes him a while before he recognizes that his son is looking at with hatred shining black against the red skies. “Are you not happy, sayangku?” His tone poured out gentler than he intended.

Asmodeus expected anger, he was used to it, and he preferred it, even. Hate, anger, spite, deception. These were feelings of precision, single-mindedness. They never left room for interpretation and they were to be met with similar clarity. What he was not prepared for was defeat.

When Magnus finally spoke, his shoulders drooped and a shadow loomed large on his young face. “I’m very far from home, _ayah_.”

Asmodeus thought he had perfected the art of immortality, he had buried parts of himself so deep in the recesses of his soul that they lent him invincibility. _That’s a poor way to live_ , someone had told him once. But Asmodeus was a survivor and the speaker of those foolish words a mere mortal.

Magnus was looking at him now, mirroring the storm he felt in the same amber eyes he had. Set on the face that reminded Asmodeus of the mortal he had so hopelessly loved once. And for the first time in very long, a gash opened in his toughened core.

“My son,” Asmodeus said, “I seem to have been the cause of your dejection.”

Magnus laughed bitterly, the sound of it landing cruelly on Asmodeus’ ears. He didn’t deign to respond to the question that now rang hollow in the great hall of Edom. Burning like vitriol in Asmodeus’ throat.

“I have done everything in my power, _everything_ , to see to your happiness.” Asmodeus couldn’t help the bitterness blooming inside him from spilling into his accusation. “And is this to be my reward?”

“Reward?” Magnus seemed to rouse back to his previous state of rage. “Do you know—do you have any idea how long I waited and waited and waited, hoping like a fool for _my_ _father_ to come rescue me?” The dam that Magnus had spent a lifetime safeguarding, patching, securing, finally broke. “Do you have the slightest inkling as to how long those nights were for me, a child, right after ibu died?”

Asmodeus’ eyes widened imperceptibly.

“ _Now_ you want to lay your claim me, as your heir?” Magnus continued, “What, with this twisted sense of—misguided _love_ you think you have for me? You don’t love me. You abandoned me.”

“I did what I thought was best for you.”

“Fantastic,” Magnus’ eyes widened, incredulity writ large upon his face. His voice rose, higher than it had ever risen, echoing in the massive hall long after he had finished speaking. “You’ve done a _splendid_ job of making me feel _so_ loved. So much so that you had me manipulated, my husband, my family without any qualms whatsoever! And you orchestrated this whole _thing_ to tear me away from the only real sense of belonging I’ve ever felt!”

“You are grievously mistaken if you think this is my revenge.” Asmodeus said, brows furrowing, “I was guided out of limbo because of the mind-hunter.”

Magic surged through Magnus. “By Lucifer, do you truly expect me to believe that?” Magnus laughed bitterly, “After all this time?”

“Magnus,” Asmodeus said, his voice small and taut, “I have always loved you.”

“ _Love_?” Magnus scoffed, striding away from him, shaking with anger, “You wouldn’t recognize love even if it hit you like a hurricane!”

“I loved your ibu.” Asmodeus sighed, “Very much.” The softly spoken words cracked like a whip in the space between them. Magnus’ fingers sparked a fiery vermilion, his magic enveloping him in a glowing, crimson aura, uncontrolled, like when he was a little boy.

“Don’t you dare,” the words were punctuated with heavy intakes of air, sharp and definite, “Don’t you _dare_ say that!”

 _A word_ , Magnus held his breath, his heart and soul was stuck in a vicious whirlpool of emotions. _A word_ and he would _snap_.

Asmodeus didn’t say anything. He rose slowly from his perch on the throne and took small, deliberate steps down from the dais. Suddenly he looked incredibly old and tired, bent with the weight of his immeasurable life, as he sat down heavily on the platform, his head in his hands.

Magnus couldn’t fathom how much time had passed when Asmodeus finally looked into his eyes. Magnus saw the husk of a creature, broken and withered. His face lined only with loss upon loss. There was no love lost with Asmodeus, but Magnus was a compassionate man and he understood loss.

“Forgive me, sayangku.” The words were whispers floating in the scorching air. Dragged jaggedly from Asmodeus’ throat. “I have offended you greatly. Know that was not my intention.”

“If intent mattered, nobody would get hurt.” Magnus felt the bite of fury leave his body and his magic curled back inside himself. He knew he would regret it as soon as the words left his mouth. “She loved you too. She couldn’t bear to live without you. Ibu . . . she—“ Magnus stopped short, a lump had formed in his throat.

“She lives endlessly in my cursed memory. My cross to bear, as the Nephilims now say,” Asmodeus said and nodded slowly, his head hanging low. “I have had many children.” He said, beginning to raise his head, “They are everywhere, they have served their purpose but none have been fit to rule. None expect you,” he looked at Magnus. “Perhaps it is your human sensibilities that make rulers.”

Magnus looked back at him, dumbstruck and astonished at the admission. Disbelief writ large on his face, unable to adequately process this novel side to Asmodeus.

“My son,” he continued, “I have lived unimaginably long. The wars have been endless, peace is only a momentary respite. The mortals have the luxury to believe in peace. There is no such thing. Chaos is truth.”

“All life is flux.” Magnus said before he could stop himself, surprised that he was engaging with his _father_. Magnus tasted the word on his tongue, it sat heavy, maladjusted. But not alien. “Ibu used to say that.”

“Oh, she was a wise one.” A hint of a smile crinkled Asmodeus’ eyes upward.

They sat in silence for a while, waiting for the moment to pass.

“You believe I don’t understand,” Asmodeus said suddenly, breaking the silence. “But I’m not wrong when I say that Nephilim needs you more than you need him.”

“He’s my _husband_ ,” Magnus felt ire stir deep in his chest again. “And I wouldn’t be so certain about that.”

“It’s true,” Asmodeus said, “That’s how their kind are. The Nephilim, they love once and . . . they love fiercely.”

Magnus felt himself raise his eyebrows. There seemed to be no end to novelties this day. “Is that admiration I detect?”

Asmodeus scorned. “Time. It’s the curse of mortality.”

“Maybe our immortality is the curse.” Magnus retorted. “To see everyone we love die.”

“Death is a gift.” Asmodeus said solemnly after a while. “Death is what gives life meaning.”

Magnus opened his mouth to argue—more as a force of habit given his _tenuous_ relationship with his father, but Magnus had no way to counter what Asmodeus had just said. It was a bitter pill to swallow, but Magnus grudgingly admitted the truth in the statement.

Magnus definitely wasn’t prepared for what was said next.

“I loved a nephilim once.”

He waited, too stunned to speak.

“I loved Amba,” Asmodeus smiled wistfully. A faraway look in his eyes. “She was a princess of the Kingdom of Kashi. The first time I ever loved. I was so young, a mere foundling.”

“What happened?” Magnus asked, despite himself.

“Amba loved Salwa, the king of Saubala,” he sighed. “In those days I was sent to the court of Salwa to hone my skills. I was a slave boy in those southern courts, spawn of a demon. Only useful for my magic.” Asmodeus shook his head, “Oh, how I abhorred the extravagance of those kings, their hedonism, their obsession with purity even when the best chance for their survival was to mix with immortal blood. Honestly, I will never understand mortals.”

Magnus found himself letting out a soft chuckle. That was a fair point.

“Bhishma, the celibate oath-taker, he was a soldier. An _archer_ ,” Asmodeus looked at Magnus pointedly, “He was kin to the two most powerful clans then, the Kauravas and the Pandavas. He wanted to secure Amba and her two sister’s alliance with his families. Came to know of the Swayamvar of the three princesses and abducted them. I was such a fool, I followed them along with Salwa, to Hastinapur, who was eventually bested in a duel against Bhishma. But when Amba approached Bhishma, revealing that she and Salwa were in betrothed in secret, the _honourable_ “ here, Asmodeus rolled his eyes, “Bhishma conceded that her reasoning was sound and sent her to Salwa with appropriate honours, while her sisters were married to his half-brother.”

“But Salwa never married Amba, it’s in the legends.” Magnus interrupted.

“No. That fool was too proud and felt it was warranted to reject her because her abductors had defeated him in duel and accused her of colluding with them.”

“No flaw in that logic,” Magnus raised his eyebrows, sighing.

“My poor Amba, I followed her everywhere, even when she pleaded with Salwa, whom she considered her true love, to accept her; even when she sent me on her behalf of plead. I followed a heart broken Amba and left Saubala and we went to the forest. I watched her descent into hatred. She was completely consumed by her rage—“

“It was justified.” Magnus stated.

“Yes,” Asmodeus said, “But at what cost? It drove her to kill herself. But not before she sold her soul to a demon and bargained with Shiva to be reborn as prince so she could avenge herself in the next life.”

“Just like that?”

“No, she led the life of an ascetic, for almost a year. And I was always by her side, loving her. Waiting, endlessly. I watched her die so many times—” Asmodeus’ stopped, his voice cracking, “Then she was finally reborn as Shikhandini, heir to the throne of Panchala. And then I watched her die again, each self only a husk of the one I loved. She found the fabled garland of blue lotuses, destined to be worn by the one who would kill Bhishma. She was trained as a warrior, and I fought beside her, lending her my strength. And she did avenge herself, fittingly. She killed Bhishma with his own arrows.”

Magnus listened to him, rapt.

“She transformed into a king, and she married the princess of Dasharna. She remained a warrior till the end of her days. Because she couldn’t produce an heir with her princess, she disguised herself as Shikhandi. She was killed in a sword fight during the long battle of Kurukshetra.”

Asmodeus sighed heavily, rolling his shoulders as if setting down the burden of that profound memory. “It’s best, if we do not mingle in mortal affairs.”

“Ayah,” Magnus says, for the first time, without irony tinging the word, “You’ve been alone too long.”

“Perhaps hate has indeed consumed me.” Asmodeus said lightly, “But Edom won’t be controlled otherwise. Without you serving as its ruler Edom will fall to disarray.”

“I want to leave,” Magnus said. “I need Alec.”

“Aimiro . . . can only be contained by the heir.” Asmodeus said. “And if you’re away from Edom, it will extract a heavy toll on your human heritage. You could lose everything.” And if Magnus had a better relationship with him, he might have detected the undercurrent of concern in his tone.

“It’s a chance I’m willing to take. I am ready to pay with my life, but I will not be kept away from my husband.”

“It’s not a simple price, _sayangku_ ,” Asmodeus said, his voice strangely quiet. “And all for a Nephilim?” This time there wasn’t any accusation in his tone, only a genuine question.

“Strange, that you ask this question after what you’ve just told me.” Magnus smiled wanly, “It’s for my family, father.”

Asmodeus made a disgruntled noise, “Very well. I can't stop you and Edom is your home. It will always be so. You are its true Prince. The laws recognize that, your subjects recognize that. You need to recognize yourself. You have a very long life left to live.”

“I have to go.”

“Well, then” Asmodeus said, his eyes softened suddenly. His shoulders drooped. “You must go back.”

“Let me go.”

“As I’ve repeatedly said, Edom is your home.” Asmodeus continued, walking away to the other end of the hall, his visibly tired form disappearing around the corner. His voice floated back to Magnus. “You only need to will yourself out of it. If you aren’t able to, then your decision hasn’t been made.” A warm golden glow began emerging from his chest. Concerned, Magnus undid his shirtfront and saw only his unmarked skin and his imitative rune.

Magnus closed his eyes and thought of his Alexander. He let himself be filled with the sweetness of Alec, the sense of his skin, the way he looked at Magnus and touched him. Magnus’ fingers sparked bluish, his magic form bursting forth, flaming into life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please R&R, they make all the difference <3

**Author's Note:**

> Please R&R, they make a world of difference <3  
> Stay safe, stay healthy.


End file.
